End mattress



Oct. 12, 1937. E. M. TOTTENHAM END MATTRESS Filed Feb. 4, 1935 5 m mu 2, f

Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE i Claim.

This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in endmattresses.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved end mattress whichmay be readily attached to, anddetached from a bed foot frame, and.particularlyadapted foruse on hospital beds;

An important object of the invention is. to provide an improved end mattress arranged to be secured uprightly to the foot frame of a bed, whereby the foot portions of the bed covers, such as blankets, sheets-,- etc. may be placed thereover and supported above' the usual bed mattress proper; thus providing a space for the feet of the occupant of the bed between said elevated bed covers and the"Grdinary mattress; thereby taking the-weight of said covers off of the feet, which is necessary in case of burns, leg" and foot operations, and making for increased comfort.

Another object of the invention is to provide and. end mattress which is arranged to rest supportedly but unattached uprightly on top of the usual bedmattress proper-and which maybe attached to, or detached from, a bed foot frame without altering the usualmattress and without interfering with said mattress, thereby permitting the bed sheet to betuckedund'er the usual mattress in the ordinary way.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an end mattress proper entirely separate from the bed mattress which may-be utilized as a foot rest for a bed-ridden person and which may also be used for preventing the'feet of an invalid from contacting the bars of the foot frame of a bed when the head portion of the bed mattress proper is elevated for any reason.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved and simple means for suspending a heating medium, such as a hot water bottle, on an end mattress, whereby thefeet of the occupant of the bed may contact the same; the medium being in a fixed position incapable of movement and supported above the ordinary bed mattress proper, whereby the surface of said bed mattress is unobstructe r A constructioddesigned to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in

i which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein Figure 1 is an isometrical view of a bed having an end mattress, constructed in accordance with the invention, attached thereto.

7 Figure 2jis an isometrical' view of the end mattressdetached, i Figure 3-. is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the same, and r Figure 4 isqa longitudinal sectional view of a bed having the. end mattress applied thereto and showing thebed clothing made or supported over said end mattress.

In the drawing, the numeral l0 designates a bed, such as is ordinarily used in hospitals, including a head section H, foot section l2 and connecting side rails F3. The usual mattress l4 is supported on the spring (not shown) which is carried by said side rails. It is pointed out that although a particular type of bed is shown, the invention may be applied to any desired bed. V In carrying out the invention, an end mattress I5 is attached'to the inner side of the foot section l2; Thismattress is preferably shaped to conform to the contour of the upper end of said foot section but thisis not essential. As shown in the drawing; the mattress is made nearly semicircular in shape and comprises a pair' of side pieces "5' preferably of mattress cloth or other suitable material. The sides are connected to 'glether at. their; marginal portions by an intermediate strip, I] which is sewedthereto, and

suitable padding material [8' is inserted within themattress.

Afeature of the invention is the method of formed along the marginal portions of the mattress. The edge portions of the strip I! are then sewed to the side pieces 16 at the bends in said strip IT by arow-ofstitches 20. The ex- 0 treme outer edge portions of the strip I1 and side piecesl6 which form. the flanges l9 are unattached at this time. Fastening tapes 2| are then inserted at intervals between these edge portions along the outer flange l9 and asecond row of stitches 22 in eachflange then secures the outer edge portions of the respective flanges together. This second row of stitches in the outer flange also' permanently fastens the tapes to the outer flange, IS. The inner, upper flange I9 is provided with a plurality of openings 23 and eyelets 24 are secured therein for the reception of suitable hooks or strings, whereby a hot water bottle 25, or other heating or a cooling medium may be suspended from the openings to overlie to the inner side of the end mattress.

The end mattress is positioned supportedly but unattached upon the end portion of the bed mattress proper and rested against the inner side of the foot section l2 of the bed, to which latter it is. attached by the tapes 2|. The provision of the tapes make for easy attachment to or detachment from the bed foot frame. It is pointed out that the attachment of the end mattress in no way interferes with the ordinary bed mattress proper. It is entirely separate therefrom and may be attached to the bed foot frame without disturbing the usual sheet which covers the bed mattress proper. tress leaves the bed in its usual way.

It has been found that in many instances, it

is desirable to keep the weight of the bed covers,

such as blankets, etc., off of the feet of the patient. This is especially necessary in cases of burns, leg and foot operations, etc. In such cases, by providing the end mattress as shown, the end portions of the bed covers may be supported by the end mattress (Figure l) whereby a space 26 for the patients feet is provided between the covers and the usual bed mattress proper M. This keeps the weight of said covers from the feet and greatly increases the comfort of the patient. In making up the bed, the foot portion of the covers may be placed completely over the rear of the end mattress l5 and the outer side of the foot section l2, then tucked under mattress M at point in drawing, whereby said covers are firmly held in place.

The end mattress l may also be used as a foot rest by a bedridden patient and is particularly useful as a support when the head portion of the bed mattress proper is raised. In this latter case, the patient may brace his feet thereagainst without contacting the posts of the foot section [2. The mattress is at all times securely fastened in an upright position and-cannot collapse at any time.

The eyelets 24 permit the attachment of any desired heating or cooling medium in a position, whereby said medium may be readily contacted by the feet. The entire construction of the mattress is simple and cheap in manufacture. It is Removal of the end mat again pointed out that although the mattress is shown semicircular in shape, it may be any desired shape depending on the bed to which it is applied. It is desirable, although not essential, to shape the mattress to conform to the contour of the foot section of the bed to which it is applied. Attachment to and detachment from the bed may be accomplished at any time Without disturbing the bed mattress proper l4 because the end mattress is entirely separate therefrom.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An end mattress for a bed, comprising, an upright mattress body having substantially the same shape and vertical and transverse dimensions of the portion of the bed foot frame extending above the bed mattress proper and adapted to rest supportedly but unattached upon the foot end portion of the bed mattress proper, said upright mattress body including a casing of flexible sheet material and constructed of opposed inner and outer side pieces having straight horizontal bottom edges but otherwise conforming marginally to the shape of the bed foot frame, and an intermediate strip of flexible sheet material having its marginal portion on opposite sides turned at substantially right angles and forming with the contiguous marginal portions of said inner and outer side pieces a marginal flange at each side of the casing, said casing having a filling of cushioning material, the contiguous marginal flange-forming portions of said intermediate strip and inner and outer side pieces of the casing being fastened together by a line of stitching adjacent to andparalleling the base of each flange and also by a line of stitching therearound near the extreme margin of each flange, strings for attaching the end mattress body to the bed foot frame, said strings being inserted between the outer flange-forming marginal portions of the intermediate strip and outer side piece of the casing and secured by the stitching thereof, the upper inner flange portion of the casing having openings therein for the attachment of an attemperating medium.

ELIZABETH M. TOTTENHAM. 

